The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) congratulates the
elected mayor of London, but warns immediate action is required to tackle
the mounting property challenge if the capital is to retain its status as a
world class city.

Trevor Hines, Head of Public Policy and Communications for RICS South, says:
“It is time for promises to be delivered, London needs less talk and more
action. The capital is facing a number of serious challenges that all relate
to property and the built environment * more affordable housing, tacking
carbon emissions from buildings, a better planning system for enabling
appropriate development and ensuring the right workforce to deliver
development. If real improvements are not made the status of our world class
city will be threatened.

”

RICS is calling on the elected mayor to:

London Housing Stock
* Set a target for a lower rate of house price growth for the next decade
compared with the last
* Urgently examine how the 50% affordability target can be delivered
* Focus house building activity on major regeneration opportunities
* Ensure increased choice of suitable new private homes for an ageing London
* Ensure enhanced opportunities for institutional investment in the private
rented sector
* Provide a better benchmarking scheme for quality at the lower price end of
the private rental sector
* Accelerate progress towards bringing all London homes up to the decent
homes standard.

Environmental initiatives
* Set ambitious targets for completing cost-effective insulation of current
housing stock
working with all property owners in the rented sector to make it happen
* Ensure that the most viable initiatives are promoted first
* Take a common sense approach to implementing policies regarding on-site
renewable energy sources
* Continue to work with the commercial and residential industry in a
partnership approach for the building of lower carbon new buildings and
increased investment in existing stock.

Economic status
* Aim to ensure that London’s planning service is amongst the best in the
world in order to meet critical housing needs and attract business
investment
* Use specialist planners from the GLA planning team to support local
boroughs on major projects and applications
* Establish a mediation service to speed up delivery of the most important
projects
* Ensure London planners have the skills to deliver increasingly complex
policies